SUEZ has announced two short-term municipal agreements with local authorities in northern Scotland.
A 12-month contract with Aberdeenshire Council worth £1.8 million will see SUEZ process 15,000 tonnes of dry mixed recycling.
This will be bulked at Aberdeen City Council’s transfer stations and sent to the material recovery facility (MRF) at Altens East in Aberdeen, which opened in 2017. The MRF is a £27 million joint project between Aberdeen City Council and SUEZ that currently also sorts mixed recycling from Angus Council and The Highland Council.
The Highland Council arrangement requires the waste management company to manage up to 40,000 tonnes of residual waste at its Stoneyhill landfill site, from which the captured gas will be used to generate energy for 7,000 homes.
Richard Hinchcliffe, Regional Manager at SUEZ, said: “These successes demonstrate our commitment to Scotland. We are passionate about protecting the environment and putting waste to good use – our new contracts with Aberdeenshire Council and The Highland Council will ensure we continue to do just that.”
Ros Baxter, Aberdeenshire Council Waste Manager, said: “We look forward to working with SUEZ, who will be delivering an efficient waste recycling service over the next 12 months, during which time they will process 15,000 tonnes of dry mixed recycling right here in the North East of Scotland and therefore minimising the carbon impact of haulage.”
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.